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©2014 Morrison & Foerster LLP | All Rights Reserved | mofo.com The JOBS Act at Two May 2014

The JOBS Act at Two - Morrison & Foerster/media/Files/Presentations/1405The...The JOBS Act at Two May 2014 This is MoFo. 2 JOBS Act Title I, Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging

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2014 M

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ison &

Foers

ter

LLP

| A

ll R

ights

Reserv

ed | m

ofo

.com

The JOBS Act at Two

May 2014

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JOBS Act Title I, Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies. Most

commonly referred to as the "IPO On-Ramp", this Title is meant to encourage smaller companies to go public through a process where public company obligations would be phased-in over time.

Title II, Access to Capital for Job Creators. This Title removes the prohibition against general solicitation and general advertising in private offerings under Regulation D, provided that all of the purchasers of securities are accredited investors. The Title also addresses certain broker-dealer issues for these offerings.

Title III, Crowdfunding. This Title provides an exemption for “crowdfunding,” by permitting offerings up to $1 million. Requirements targeted at investor protection are imposed on the issuer and the intermediary involved in the crowdfunding effort. The Title also addresses certain broker-dealer issues for these offerings.

Title IV, Small Company Formation. This Title is what is commonly referred to as “Regulation A” reform, and it creates a new exemption for offerings up to $50 million.

Title V, Private Company Flexibility and Growth. This Title increases the Exchange Act registration stockholder of record threshold from 500 to 2,000 (only 500 of which can be non-accredited investors).

Title VI, Capital Expansion. This Title increases the stockholder of record threshold from 500 to 2,000 for banks and bank holding companies, and provides that a bank or bank holding company could terminate 1934 Act registration if the number of holders of record drops to less than 1,200.

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Title I: The IPO On-Ramp

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IPO market

2013 was the best year for IPOs since 2000

183 US IPOs were completed in 2013; 105 U.S. IPOs were

completed in 2012

However, compared to historic levels, there are fewer IPOs being

undertaken than in the late 1990s and early 2000s

Almost all of the U.S. IPOs were undertaken by EGCs

A few industries dominated: tech; pharma/biotech; energy; and

financial services

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IPO market

The market has changed. There are fewer smaller IPOs

Most IPOs are undertaken by PE-backed (70 in 2013) or VC-backed

(81 in 2013) companies. 151 of 183 IPOs in 2013 were either PE-

or VC-backed.

2014 was the most active first-quarter IPO market since 2000

63 IPOs priced in the first quarter of 2014

First quarter IPO proceeds totaled nearly $11.5 billion

Healthcare remained the most active sector

Venture or PE-backed IPOs continued to dominate, with 39% of the

1st quarter 2014 deals sponsor-backed

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What’s Changed?

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Emerging Growth Company – Benefits Permits filing a registration statement with the SEC on a confidential basis.

Expands the range of permissible pre-filing communications made to

qualified institutional buyers, or QIBs, or institutional accredited investors.

EGCs may now engage in oral or written communications with QIBs and

institutional accredited investors in order to gauge their interest in a

proposed IPO (i.e. “test-the-waters”) either prior to or following the first filing

of the IPO registration statement.

Requires EGCs to provide only two years of audited financial statements to

the SEC (rather than three years), and delays the auditor attestation on

internal controls requirement.

Exempts EGCs from: The mandatory say-on-pay vote requirement;

The Dodd-Frank Act-required CEO pay ratio rules, and permits the use of certain smaller

reporting company scaled disclosure;

Any new or revised financial accounting standard until the date that such accounting standard

becomes broadly applicable to private companies; and

Any rules requiring mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report that

would provide additional information regarding the audit of the company’s financial statements

(no such requirements currently exist).

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Emerging Growth Company Defined

An EGC is defined as an issuer with total annual gross revenue of

less than $1 billion (with such threshold indexed to inflation every

five years).

An EGC would retain that status until:

The last day of the fiscal year in which the issuer had $1 billion or more in annual

revenues;

The last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the issuer’s IPO;

The date on which the issuer has, during the previous rolling 3-year period, issued

more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt:

Debt issued in a public or an exempt offering (not outstanding);

Rolling three-year period from the time the issuer establishes its EGC status; or

The date when the issuer is deemed to be a “large accelerated filer” (as defined

by the SEC).

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EGC IPO Process

Submit

Draft S-1 Road

Show S-1

Effective

The SEC must review the

draft registration statement

on a confidential basis

An EGC may remain in

the confidential review

process until required

to file Form S-1, with

the SEC issuing

comments and the

EGC responding with

draft submissions

An EGC or any other person authorized by the EGC can “test-

the-waters” in communications with QIBs and institutional

accredited investors before or during the IPO

The Form S-1 must be

filed publicly 21 days

before the road show;

at this time, all prior

confidential

submissions become

available publicly on

EDGAR

Broker-dealers, including those participating in the IPO, can

publish research before, during or after the IPO without the

research being deemed an “offer” under the Securities Act

After filing the Form

S-1, the process is

the same as a pre-

JOBS Act IPO

File S-1

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Disclosure Requirements

PRIOR TO JOBS ACT UNDER THE JOBS ACT

Financial

Information in

SEC Filings

3 years of audited financial statements

2 years of audited financial statements for

smaller reporting companies

Selected financial data for each of 5 years

(or for life of issuer, if shorter) and any

interim period included in the financial

statements

2 years of audited financial statements

Not required to present selected financial

data for any period prior to the earliest

audited period presented in connection with

an IPO

Within 1 year of IPO, EGC would report 3

years of audited financial statements

Confidential

Submissions of

Draft IPO

Registration

Statement

No confidential filing for U.S. issuers

Confidential filing for FPIs only in specified

circumstances

EGCs (including FPIs that are EGCs) may

submit a draft IPO registration statement for

confidential review prior to public filing,

provided that the registration statement is

publicly filed with the SEC not later than 21

days before the EGC conducts a “road show.”

This supersedes the SEC’s December 2011

position on confidential submissions by FPIs.

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Disclosure Requirements (cont’d)

PRIOR TO JOBS ACT UNDER THE JOBS ACT

Communications

Before and During

The Offering

Process

Limited ability to “test-the-waters” EGCs, either prior to or after filing a

registration statement, may “test-the-waters”

by engaging in oral or written communications

with QIBs and institutional accredited

investors to determine interest in an offering

Auditor

Attestation on

Internal Controls

Auditor attestation on effectiveness of

internal controls over financial reporting

required in second annual report after IPO

Non-accelerated filers not required to

comply

Transition period for compliance of up to 5

years

Accounting

Standards

Must comply with applicable new or revised

financial accounting standards

Not required to comply with any new or

revised financial accounting standard until

such standard applies to companies that

are not subject to Exchange Act public

company reporting

EGCs may choose to comply with non-EGC

accounting standards but may not

selectively comply

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Disclosure Requirements (cont’d)

PRIOR TO JOBS ACT UNDER THE JOBS ACT

Executive

Compensation

Disclosure

Must comply with executive compensation

disclosure requirements, unless a smaller

reporting company (which is subject to

reduced disclosure requirements)

Upon adoption of SEC rules under Dodd-

Frank, will be required to calculate and

disclose the median compensation of all

employees compared to the CEO

May comply with executive compensation

disclosure requirements by complying with

the reduced disclosure requirements

generally available to smaller reporting

companies

Exempt from requirement to calculate and

disclose the median compensation of all

employees compared to the CEO

FPIs entitled to rely on other executive

compensation disclosure requirements

Say-on-Pay Must hold non-binding advisory

stockholder votes on executive

compensation arrangements

Exempt from requirement to hold non-binding

advisory stockholder votes on executive

compensation arrangements for 1 to 3 years

after no longer an EGC

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EGC Accommodations

The market has gotten progressively more comfortable with the

EGC accommodations

Confidential submissions:

Almost universally adopted-depending on statistics you review, just over 90%

Usually two confidential submissions prior to the first public filing

Much of the discussion related to process now often focuses on the timing of

flipping from confidential submission to first public filing, often based on:

Getting the 21-day period to run in order to meet the IPO roadshow schedule

The desire to pursue a dual-track process

Other questions that arise in connection with confidential submission

What is required to be contained in the submission

When do the prior submissions and exhibits become public

Can a foreign issuer elect EGC status and opt to use the confidential submission

process for FPIs?

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EGC Accommodations (cont’d)

Disclosure patterns

Financial information: two versus three years of financial information

There has been increased adoption of the two-years of financials approach

Considerations: what trends will need to be illustrated and discussed? What

will bankers want to present in the road show?

Executive compensation disclosures: almost universal adoption of reduced

disclosure

Extended phase-in for Section 404(b): almost universal adoption

Phase-in for new GAAP policies: almost all EGCs have chosen not

to take advantage of the extended phase-in

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EGC Accommodations (cont’d)

Testing the waters

There was early reluctance to take advantage of the ability to engage in these

submissions; however, depending on the sector, there has been some greater

acceptance

Timing of discussions

Use of written materials

Pre-deal Research and Research Practices

Pre-deal research remains rare

A new 25-day “quiet period” has been memorialized in AAUs

More willingness to conduct joint diligence sessions that include research and

banking

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Other IPO Trends

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Lock-ups

The 180-day lock up is no longer inviolable

A few deals with no lock-up

A few deals with “built in” price triggers that cause the lock up restrictions to fall

away

A few deals with staggered lock up releases

Many, many IPO releases for follow-on offerings prior to the 180-day

expiration

FINRA Rule 5131

Disclosure required when directors or officers will be released, but not for a

release of the company’s restrictions

VCs and PE firms may want to consider whether they want board

representation

Disclosure is required by the book runner in the form of a press release that

is broadly disseminated

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Dual Class Structures

Dual class structures had been disfavored in recent years

However, recent IPOs have featured dual classes of stock

Concern by founders who want to preserve control

Desire by VC or PE sponsors who want to retain control

The result of a tax-motivated structure at IPO

Dual class structures require careful consideration of disclosure

requirements

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Confidential/Subject to Attorney Client Privilege 19

The Up-C Structure • The Up-C structure has become more common for IPOs of private-

equity backed companies.

• The Up-C structure derives its name from the UPREIT structure.

Essentially, a newly formed corporation (“PubCo”) will be the entity

that undertakes the IPO. PubCo will sit above an existing limited

liability company (the “LLC”).

• PubCo will be a holding company and will have as its subsidiary the

LLC. The principal assets/operating business will continue to be at

(or below) the LLC level.

• PubCo will receive the IPO proceeds and downstream the proceeds

to the LLC.

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Typical Pre-IPO Structure - Corporation

Disadvantages

• Income from operating subsidiaries subject to entity-level tax when earned by the corporation

• Historic partners (and other shareholders) subject to tax when they receive dividends

C Corporation

Historic Shareholders

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Typical Pre-IPO Structure - Partnership

Disadvantage

• Listing partnership when going public may result in the partnership being taxed as a corporation

Advantage

• Partnership not subject to tax; income earned by operating subsidiaries taxable directly to partners

LLC

Historic Partners

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Confidential/Subject to Attorney Client Privilege 22

Up-C Structure: Immediately After Formation of C-Corp

Company incorporated in Delaware with two classes of common stock, Class A and Class B. Class A is offered in the IPO and Class B is held by the Historic Partners and provides no economic rights, only voting rights.

PubCo

(Delaware C-Corp)

Controlling voting interest

LLC

Historic Partners

100% economic interest

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Confidential/Subject to Attorney Client Privilege 23

Up-C Structure: Immediately following IPO

Public Shareholders (Class A Holders)

• 100% economic interest • Minority voting interest

Historic Partners

PubCo

(Delaware C-Corp)

Voting interest 100% economic interest

LLC

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Confidential/Subject to Attorney Client Privilege 24

Up-C Structure: Final Structure

Historic Partners

LLC interests convertible into

shares of Class A common stock

PubCo

(Delaware C-Corp)

60% voting interest 60% economic interest

LLC

Class A Holders

• 100% economic interest • 40% voting interest

•40% economic interest •Sole managing member

(percentages are included only for illustrative purposes).

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Confidential/Subject to Attorney Client Privilege 25

Why an Up-C structure? • Prior to the IPO, the business was conducted through an LLC, which

is a pass-through structure and does not pay entity-level taxes.

• Through the Up-C structure, PubCo pays the pre-IPO equity holders

(LLC members) for the value of PubCo’s tax attributes as those tax

attributes are used after the IPO. This creates a market dynamic that

permits value to be extracted from PubCo after the IPO, without

decreasing the value of PubCo in the offering.

• To effectuate the Up-C structure, PubCo will enter into various

arrangements with the LLC and its members. These include a Tax

Receivable Agreement (“TRA”). Generally, TRAs do not appear to

impact the valuation of a corporation in its IPO.

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Confidential/Subject to Attorney Client Privilege 26

FINRA • In its annual priorities letter, FINRA had announced that it would be

taking a look at the policies and procedures that firms had in place in

connection with their IPOs

• For example, one would assume that FINRA will be looking for

compliance with the spinning rules, reviewing IPO allocations, trying

to understand early releases from lock ups

• Just recently, FINRA pursued enforcement action against a broker-

dealer in connection with its IPO practices for not distinguishing

between conditional indications of interest and firm orders

• We would expect that there will be more FINRA actions relating to

IPOs

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Title II

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Relaxation of the Ban on General Solicitation

The SEC adopted a new paragraph (c) in Rule 506, which permits

the use of general solicitation, subject to the following conditions:

The issuer must take reasonable steps to verify that the purchasers of the

securities are accredited investors;

All purchasers of securities must be accredited investors, either because they

come within one of the enumerated categories of persons that qualify as

accredited investors or the issuer reasonably believes that they qualify as

accredited investors, at the time of the sale of the securities; and

The conditions of Rule 501 and Rules 502(a) and 502(d) are satisfied.

An issuer may still choose to conduct a private offering in reliance on

Rule 506(b) without using general solicitation.

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Reasonable Steps to Verify Investor Sales

The final rule retains the principles-based guidance, highlighting that

the inquiry to be undertaken may differ depending on the facts and

circumstances. The SEC provides a list of factors to consider:

The nature of the purchaser. The SEC describes the different types of accredited

investors, including broker-dealers, investment companies or business

development companies, employee benefit plans, and wealthy individuals and

charities;

The nature and amount of information about the purchaser. Simply put, the SEC

states that “the more information an issuer has indicating that a prospective

purchaser is an accredited investor, the fewer steps it would have to take, and

vice versa;” and

The nature of the offering. The nature of the offering may be relevant in

determining the reasonableness of steps taken to verify status, i.e., issuers may

be required to take additional verification steps to the extent that solicitations are

made broadly, such as through a website accessible to the general public, or

through the use of social media or email.

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Reasonable Steps to Verify Investor

Sales (cont’d)

The final rule does not provide for a safe harbor; however, it does set

out a supplemental non-exclusive list of methods that may be used to

satisfy the verification requirement, including:

A review of IRS forms for the two most recent years and a written representation

regarding the individual’s expectation of attaining the necessary income level for

the current year;

A review of bank statements, brokerage statements, tax assessments, etc. to

assess assets, and a consumer report or credit report from at least one consumer

reporting agency to assess liabilities;

A written confirmation from a registered broker-dealer, RIA, CPA, etc.; and

For existing investors (pre-506(c) effective date), a certification.

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New “Bad Actor” Disqualification “Bad actor” disqualification requirements prohibit issuers and others,

such as underwriters, placement agents, directors, officers, and

shareholders of the issuer, from participating in exempt securities

offerings, if they have been convicted of, or are subject to court or

administrative sanctions for, securities fraud or other violations of

specified laws.

On July 10, 2013, the SEC issued its final rules regarding “bad

actors” for Regulation D. The amendments became effective on

September 23, 2013.

The SEC has released multiple CD&Is to provide further guidance.

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Recent developments Relatively few offerings using general solicitation (compared to

traditional Rule 506(b) offerings)

Investor verification

Perceived difficulties or cost associated with verification

SEC staff has emphasized principles-based approach and noted that it is

unlikely that additional guidance will be forthcoming on verification

CFTC’s failure to address the ability of certain funds to engage in general

solicitation

“Chilling” effect associated with the SEC’s proposed Reg D amendments

Ability to engage in “accredited investor” crowdfunding

Concerns regarding the types of communications that would be or may be deemed

to constitute a “general solicitation”

The SEC Staff has referred to its prior no-action letter guidance regarding the

types of communications that would not be deemed to constitute a general

solicitation

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SEC’s Proposed Amendments

The SEC proposed amendments to Regulation D, Form D and Rule

156. The comment period for the proposed rules expired on

September 13, 2013.

The proposed rule would require issuers to file an advance notice of

sale 15 days before and at the conclusion of an offering.

The proposed rule would disqualify issuers who fail to file Form D.

Issuers would be disqualified from using Rule 506 exemption in any new offering if

the issuer or its affiliates did not comply with the Form D filing requirements.

Disqualification would continue for one year, beginning after the required Form D

filings are made.

Cure period available for late Form D filing.

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Form D The proposed rule would require issuers to provide additional

information about the issuer and the offering.

Currently, Form D requires identifying information about the issuer and related

persons, the exemption relied upon, and other facts.

As proposed, issuers must provide additional information:

Identification of issuer’s website;

Expanded information on the issuer;

Offered securities;

Types of investors in the offering;

Use of proceeds from the offering;

Information on types of general solicitation used; and

Methods used to verify accredited investor status of investors.

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Solicitation Materials

The proposed rules would require issuers to include legends and

disclosures in written solicitation materials.

Rule 509 would require issuers to include legends or cautionary statements in

written general solicitation materials used in Rule 506 offerings.

Legends intended to inform potential investors that offering is limited to

accredited investors and may involve risks.

Failure to include legends and disclosures required by Rule 509.

Required legends or other disclosures would not be a condition of Rule 506(c)

exemption.

Failure to include Rule 509 legends or other disclosures in any written general

solicitation materials would not make Rule 506(c) unavailable for the offering.

Instead, Rule 507 provides that Rule 506 would not be available if the issuer (or its

predecessors or affiliates) is subject to an order, judgment or injunction resulting

from failure to comply with Rule 509.

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Solicitation Materials (cont’d)

Private funds:

Would require private funds to include additional legend and disclosures in written

general solicitation materials.

Rule 509(b) would require private funds to disclose that securities offered are

not subject to protections of Investment Company Act.

If general solicitation or general advertising includes performance data, Rule

509(c) would require additional Rule 482-type information.

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Title III:

Crowdfunding

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Crowdfunding Title III provides an exemption that could apply to crowdfunding offerings.

The SEC voted to release proposed rules on October 23, 2013, and the deadline for comments

on the proposed rules expired on February 3, 2014.

The SEC’s proposed rules track the statute closely.

The aggregate amount sold to all investors by the issuer should not be more than $1,000,000.

This includes any amount sold in reliance on the exemption during the 12-month period preceding the date of the transaction.

The aggregate amount sold to any investor by the issuer, including any amount sold in reliance on the exemption during the 12-month period preceding the date of the transaction, should not exceed:

The greater of $2,000 or 5 percent of the annual income or net worth of the investor, as applicable, if either the annual income or the net worth of the investor is less than $100,000; or

10 percent of the annual income or net worth of an investor, as applicable, not to exceed a maximum aggregate amount sold of $100,000, if either the annual income or net worth of the investor is equal to or more than $100,000.

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Crowdfunding (cont’d)

The transaction must be conducted through a broker or “funding

portal.”

Information should be filed and provided to investors regarding the

issuer and offering, including financial information based on the

target amount offered.

The provision prohibits issuers from advertising the terms of the

exempt offering, other than to provide notices directing investors to

the funding portal or broker, and requires disclosure of amounts paid

to compensate solicitors promoting the offering through the channels

of the broker or funding portal.

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Crowdfunding (cont’d)

Issuers relying on the exemption need to file with the SEC and

provide to investors, no less than annually, reports of the results of

operations and financial statements.

A purchaser in a crowdfunding offering can bring an action against

an issuer for rescission in accordance with Section 12(b) and Section

13 of the Securities Act, as if liability were created under Section

12(a)(2) of the Securities Act, in the event that there are material

misstatements or omissions in connection with the offering.

Securities sold on an exempt basis under this provision are not

transferrable by the purchaser for a one-year period beginning on the

date of purchase, except in certain limited circumstances.

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Crowdfunding (cont’d)

The exemption is only be available for domestic issuers that are not

reporting companies under the Exchange Act and that are not

investment companies, or as the SEC otherwise determines is

appropriate.

Bad actor disqualification provisions similar to those required under

Regulation A would also be required for exempt crowdfunding

offerings.

Funding portals are not subject to registration as a broker-dealer, but

would be subject to an alternative regulatory regime, subject to SEC

and SRO authority, to be determined by rulemaking by the SEC and

SRO.

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Crowdfunding Proposal The SEC’s proposed rules have proven controversial

Crowdfunding proponents believe that the proposal is too burdensome and would make it challenging for start-ups

Process requirements are too prescriptive and cumbersome

Disclosure requirements for the initial offer (Form C) and ongoing reporting requirements (Form C-A, Form C-U, Form C-AR) would make the process to expensive

By contrast, the SEC’s Investor Advisory Committee has recommended stronger consumer protection provisions

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In the meantime… The SEC staff issued various C&DIs regarding intrastate

crowdfunding

Various states have adopted their own crowdfunding exemptions

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Title IV:

Regulation “A+”

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Current Regulation A

Most issuers are familiar with the exemptions from registration available

pursuant to Section 4 of the Securities Act.

Currently, Regulation A (promulgated pursuant to Section 3 of the

Securities Act) provides for an exemption from registration for issuers

that are not SEC-reporting companies to raise up to $5 million through

sales of their securities in interstate offerings.

Regulation A is often referred to as a “mini-registration” provision; it is

not a private offering exemption.

Current Regulation A has not been used frequently in the recent past

largely due to the low offering threshold and the fact that securities sold

in Regulation A offerings are not “covered securities” for blue sky

purposes.

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Title IV Title IV of the JOBS Act amends Section 3(b) of the Securities Act:

Creates a new Section 3(b)(2).

On December 18, 2013, the SEC proposed rules that provide for exempt offerings

of up to $50 million of securities annually based on the current Regulation A

provisions.

The comment period for the proposed rules expired on March 24, 2014. Final

rules have not yet been released.

The statute establishes certain fundamental provisions:

Securities may be offered and sold publicly.

Securities would not be considered “restricted securities.”

Section 12(a)(2) liability will apply to the offering.

Issuers can test-the-waters.

A new requirement for issuers to file audited financial statements annually.

A limitation on eligible securities.

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Title IV (cont’d)

The SEC was given discretion regarding:

Electronic filing requirements.

Bad actor provisions.

Ongoing disclosure requirements.

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Proposed Rule The SEC’s proposed rules would implement the JOBS Act mandate

by:

Amending and modernizing existing Regulation A;

Creating two tiers of offerings;

Tier 1 for offerings of up to $5m ($1.5m for selling stockholders).

Tier 2 for offerings of up to $50m ($15m for selling stockholders).

Setting issuer eligibility, disclosure and reporting requirements; and

For Tier 2 offerings, imposing addition disclosure and ongoing reporting

requirements, as well as an investment limit.

Making Tier 2 offerings exempt from blue sky requirements, given these investor

protection measures.

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Regulation A+ Other provisions of the Regulation A+ proposal that have been

discussed in comment letters include:

The “eligible issuer” definition

The limitation on sales by selling stockholders

The investment limit set for Tier 2 offerings

The Exchange Act threshold

The transition to Exchange Act reporting

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Exchange Act Threshold

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Exchange Act Thresholds

Title V amends Section 12(g)(1)(A) of the Exchange Act and

provides that an issuer will become subject to Exchange Act

requirements within 120 days after the last day of its first fiscal year

ended in which:

The issuer has total assets in excess of $10 million and

A class of equity security (other than an exempted security) held of

record by either:

2,000 persons, or

500 persons who are not accredited investors.

Note that Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act remains unchanged (if

a class of equity or debt securities is to be listed on a national

securities exchange then that class of securities must be registered

under the Exchange Act)

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Exchange Act Threshold (cont’d)

Title VI adds a new Section 12(g)(1)(B) that provides that, in the

case of an issuer that is a bank or a bank holding company, the

issuer will become subject to Exchange Act requirements, not later

than 120 days after the last day of its first fiscal year ended after the

effective date of this amended section, on which the issuer has total

assets exceeding $10 million and a class of equity security (other

than an exempted security) held of record by 2,000 or more persons.

In the case of a bank or a bank holding company, the issuer will no

longer be subject to reporting if the number of holders drops below

1,200 persons.

The SEC was directed to issue final regulations to implement these

amendments within a year of the enactment.

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Ongoing Reporting Obligations vs 34 Act

Reporting

Both the crowdfunding proposal and the Reg A+ proposal introduce

a process of ongoing reporting without Exchange Act reporting

The crowdfunding provisions in the JOBS Act specifically address

the Exchange Act trigger, while the Reg A+ provisions do not

Given the “holder of record” definition, an issuer that has a stock that

is widely held may be in the anomalous position of being subject to

ongoing reporting but never Exchange Act reporting

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JOBS Act 2.0?

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A Hodgepodge of Bills

For Public Companies

Shortening the Rule 144 holding period; addressing the Rule 144 issues for shell

companies

Removing the 1/3 limit on primary sales for smaller companies using Form S-3

shelf registration

Revising the WKSI definition

Revising Form S-1 to permit the incorporation by reference

Addressing disclosures in 10-Ks

Changing the definition of “non-accelerated filer”

More closely related to the JOBS Act

Reg A+ changes

Revising the crowdfunding provisions

Addressing the SEC’s Regulation D proposed amendment

Modernizing Rule 701

Codifying the 4(a)(1-1/2) exemption

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